The Hemet/San Jacinto Student of the Month program held a recognition breakfast at the Maze Stone at Soboba Springs Golf Course on Oct. 1. Eight local high school seniors were honored for their character, love of learning, and commitment to academics, as well as their involvement in school and community activities. They were also acknowledged for their ability and resiliency in overcoming difficult life challenges, all in a setting that honors God, community, and country. Students are nominated by teachers or other school personnel for making a difference in their homes, schools and communities.
Student of the Month committee member John Norman emceed the event. He and his wife are also Diamond Star sponsors. Each student was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past and/or current challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.
October’s students of the month from Hemet Unified School District are Chloe Alverez, Mathen Brown, Constance Cabaong, Jason Delgado, Uriah Mendez, and Brayden Thompsen. San Jacinto Unified honorees for October are Anyeli Lopez Barrios and Luz Ramirez.
Hemet Unified School District
Chloe Alverez
Alessandro High School Principal Raul Hernandez invited ASB leadership teacher Heather Ramsey to introduce Chloe, who got involved with ASB after learning she had been recommended by several staff members. “It’s very common at Alessandro being a continuation school that students who haven’t felt like they’ve achieved anything before find a place and find a voice and find something that they can contribute to their school community and then start to picture what they can contribute to the greater community,” Ramsey said. Chloe said, “I want to thank my grandparents for letting me stay with them these past couple of months and allowing me to prove to myself that I am worth so much more than the bad people in my life that have told me I’m not. Growing up in a house that was constantly on fire made you think the whole world around you was too. But I want people to know there is so much more to life than abusive parents, bad thoughts, and even the darkest times.” Chloe said she was surprised that only a few months ago she was incredibly depressed and thinking about ending her life. She thought she was never going to be happy or have a future. “But I stand here today to tell you it’s a lie because I’m standing here getting Student of the Month,” Chloe said. She hopes to pursue art and study criminology to become the voice for others who can’t speak.
Mathen Brown
Western Center Academy Executive Director Michele Aguilar said they chose to recognize Mathen Brown, who said he was surprised by the decision. He said when he was younger, he didn’t care much about school, thinking that sports and friends were more important. He grew up in a divided home with seven siblings. “In October of 2019, my baby brother Maverick had a life-threatening accident. His skull shattered, and he had internal bleeding in the brain. And unfortunately, it has only gotten worse. Maverick has multiple rare conditions which have led to paralysis on one side, multiple organ failures, and a rare type of skin cancer,” Mathen said. “After Maverick’s accident, life was never the same. It was extremely chaotic and difficult for our family. I didn’t care about my hygiene, my character, or my mental well-being. I was alone and isolated, and in seventh grade, I struggled with severe depression and thoughts of suicide.” He transferred to WCA, and things began to improve in his freshman year. “I had a great group of friends, I made the high school basketball team, and I finally passed all my classes with relative ease,” Mathen said. “I had also finally come to God. I read my Bible, and I learned something very important. Jesus loves me. He died for my sins, and he has been there for me every step of the way and gave me comfort. For what seemed like the first time in my life, I was extremely happy and not dealing with mental health issues.”
Constance Cabaong
West Valley High School Principal Cynthia Leon introduced band director Devin Walker, who nominated Constance this month and has been her teacher for four years. “She joined me as an orchestra student in her freshman year, and it’s been quite a journey with her,” he said. “Over these past several years, I’ve watched her evolve from a passionate young musician grappling with personal challenges old and new, into an extraordinary student, a resilient problem solver and a driving force of leadership across our entire campus.” Being the oldest child, when her parents divorced, Constance took on the responsibility of protecting her siblings. “Every day I projected myself in a way that I could make sure I could uplift others,” she said. “Even now as drum major and president of the West Valley High School band and news anchor for the weekly video news, I always make sure to present myself in a way that people would feel like they could come to me when nobody else accepted them.” Being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression at 15 meant constant changes in medications and therapists. Constance feared rejection but those around her supported her and gave her the courage to go to college and become an anesthesiologist. “Because of these people, I learned that my disorders aren’t a disability, but a gift. Because it makes me who I am, and they love me for who I am, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Jason Delgado
Tahquitz High School Principal Andrew Holmes said that while overcoming some trials and tribulations, Jason was able to maintain more than a 4.0 GPA while taking rigorous courses. “He is a manager of the girls tennis team and one of the star athletes of our boys tennis team, helping them to set records last year for our high school,” Holmes said. He added that Jason is also an artist. Jason’s father passed away in January after an unexpected diagnosis of a rare Stage 4 cancer the month before. “I honestly thought he would have lived to see me graduate, but things happened so suddenly that we should always live in the moment and take nothing for granted,” Jason said. “My family, especially my mother, still struggles emotionally and financially.” He said his time at Tahquitz taught him life lessons and skills he will take to college and beyond, like staying on course and finding the right group of people to hang out with. “I’ve always been the type of person who likes giving rather than receiving so when I am told to pay it forward, I think of helping my community in any way possible,” he said. “One final very special thanks to my late father for setting the biggest and best example of what a hardworking, strong man is.” Jason plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College before transferring to a four-year university to major in aerospace engineering.
Uriah Mendez
Hamilton High School Principal Kari Sanchez described Uriah as a shining light. “He teaches us to be who we are, love everybody and love ourselves and brings so much joy to our campus,” she said. “He is captain on our cheer team, ASB president and he’s famous on our TV announcements every morning along with his English bulldog.” Uriah believes his greatest contribution has been his resilience and being a voice for authenticity. “After navigating the fear of losing my parents to serious health issues, I learned how to show up to my family and for my strength. I try to bring that same resilience to my school and community by being a person who stands tall in their truth.” In his leadership roles, he tries to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. “With all the struggles I’ve been through, I know I wanted to step up and represent the closeted homosexual boys and kids who have always felt alone or quiet and who didn’t have someone to support them in the beginning and show them that they have a voice and that they can be amazing leaders too,” Uriah said. “I learned that true strength comes from within and being unapologetically yourself. I plan to pay it forward by being a mentor and a supportive presence for others who might feel like they are outsiders as well.” His goal is to pursue occupational therapy to help people of all ages improve, recover, and maintain the everyday skills that they will need to live, work, and thrive in their lives.
Brayden Thompsen
Hemet High School Principal Jeff Franks said he was proud to honor Brayden, whose passion for education is outstanding. “He takes a rigorous caseload, he’s been a participant on our basketball, tennis, and volleyball teams and is new to our mock trial team,” Franks said. Counselor Dawn Sonnier admitted that Brayden’s sense of purpose always stood out to her. “I still remember meeting him early in his high school journey and asking about his future plans. Without hesitation, he shared that he wanted to become a pastor and follow in his father’s footsteps. In my more than 20 years as a school counselor, I have met countless students with ambitious goals, but I rarely encountered a student who spoke with such genuine passion and conviction about his faith, his desire to serve others, and the calling he felt for his future.” Brayden said he is very passionate about Jesus and the Bible. “My dad, Jeremy, was a pastor in the valley, first at Cornerstone and later at Community Christian,” Brayden said. “I was fortunate enough to witness his dedication and faithfulness to Jesus and to the spreading of the gospel, which inspired me in so many ways.” After his father passed away five years ago, Brayden said he found healing through Jesus. “Despite all my shortcomings, he has shown me unending love and has brought me perfect peace, comfort, and even joy in the midst of suffering,” said Brayden, who plans to study applied theology at Cal Baptist.
San Jacinto Unified School District
Luz Ramirez
Mountain View High School Principal Ken Swanson asked science teacher Geoff Clark to introduce Luz. Clark said when Luz first started at the school, she was shy and reserved but over time she has stepped out of her comfort zone with confidence and high capabilities as she takes advantage of opportunities that are presented to her. She is a member of ASB and the duly elected co-chair of School Site Council. “But the most endearing thing that she does for our school is she’s very caring and considerate; not only with the people and her peers, but also with the animals,” Clark said. “We have this beautiful water feature on campus, and we affectionately call her the fish whisperer.” Luz has earned more than 100 credits since transferring to Mountain View in her junior year. “Throughout my life, I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety, only seeking outward help recently,” Luz said. Another challenge she faced was when she was in middle school and her mother was diagnosed with kidney failure and breast cancer. “The fight against cancer was extremely stressful and uncertain,” Luz said. “However, my mom is the strongest person I know and has been in remission for about three years now.” She is on track to graduate almost a semester early and plans to enroll at MSJC in the fall. She would like to become a teacher. “That will be my contribution to the community; to give back the positivity I received from the staff at my school,” Luz said.
Anyeli Lopez Barrios
San Jacinto High School Principal Lloyd Sheppard invited ASB director Mayra Aldana to the podium to talk about Anyeli, who is known as Angie. Aldana said, “Angie is an outstanding senior who truly represents academic excellence, leadership, service, and perseverance. What makes Angie’s accomplishments even more meaningful is everything she has overcome to get here. She came to the United States from Guatemala at just eight years old and faced language barriers, financial hardships, family challenges, and uncertainty about her future. Despite those obstacles, she continued to work hard, lead others, and pursue her dreams.” Anyeli said her mom struggled to raise all four children in Guatemala without support from her father, so she decided to look for a better future in America. “I was just a little girl, so I didn’t fully understand what starting over in a new country meant,” she said. “Even today, there are things about my future that I’m not certain about. One of the hardest things for me has been wondering if I will be able to go to college because of my immigration status. I have worked so hard for the future I want. I keep going because I have a dream. I want to go to college and become an elementary school teacher.” Anyeli said she also keeps going because of her mother. “I want her to know that all the sacrifices she has made for me have meant something,” she said. “This is why this award means so much to me.”
For more information, www.studentofthemonth.net.
